Endoscopy 2012; 44(05): 482-486
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1291611
Original article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

A pilot study evaluating a new low-volume colon cleansing procedure for capsule colonoscopy

D. Hartmann
1   Department of Internal Medicine I, Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany
,
M. Keuchel
2   Department of Internal Medicine, Bethesda Krankenhaus Bergedorf, Hamburg, Germany
,
M. Philipper
3   Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelisches Krankenhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany
,
I. M. Gralnek
4   Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Departments of Ambulatory Care Services and Gastroenterology, Haifa, Israel
,
R. Jakobs
5   Department of Internal Medicine C, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
,
F. Hagenmüller
6   1st Medical Department, Asklepios Klinik Altona, Hamburg, Germany
,
H. Neuhaus
3   Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelisches Krankenhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany
,
J. F. Riemann
5   Department of Internal Medicine C, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
7   Lebensblicke-Foundation for Early Detection of colorectal cancer, Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

submitted 13 April 2010

accepted after revision 15 November 2011

Publication Date:
24 January 2012 (online)

Background and study aims: Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) offers an alternative approach for endoscopic visualization of the colon. Some of the current CCE bowel cleansing regimens use sodium phosphate, which has raised safety concerns. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of a new low-volume, sodium phosphate-free polyethylene glycol (PEG) bowel preparation.

Methods: The first 26 patients (original cleansing procedure) received a colon cleansing regimen of PEG plus ascorbic acid: patients drank 1 L in the evening and 0.75 L in the morning before capsule ingestion. Patients also drank an additional 0.5 L PEG boost and an optional 0.25 L PEG boost during the capsule procedure. Following an interim analysis, the cleansing procedure of the subsequent 24 patients was modified, with the morning intake before capsule ingestion being increased to 1 L, as well as the second boost (0.25 L) being administered 1 – 2 hours earlier (modified cleansing procedure).

Results: The overall colon cleanliness was considered to be good or excellent in 83 % (original cleansing procedure) and 82 % (modified cleansing procedure) of patients, without any significant difference between regimens (P > 0.05). In 37 /49 (76 %) of the CCE procedures, the hemorrhoidal plexus was identified and thus the examination was considered complete, with no significant differences between the two CCE cleansing procedures. The capsule sensitivity and specificity for detecting colonic polyps ≥ 6 mm were 91 % (95 %CI 70 % – 98 %) and 94 % (95 %CI 87 % – 97 %), respectively, compared with standard optical colonoscopy.

Conclusion: A colon cleansing procedure using PEG + ascorbic acid for capsule colonoscopy yielded an adequate cleansing level in > 80 % of patients, a completion rate of 76 %, and good accuracy for detecting polyps. This procedure may be considered as an alternative, particularly for patients in whom sodium phosphate-based preparations are contraindicated.

 
  • References

  • 1 Eliakim R, Fireman Z, Gralnek IM et al. Evaluation of the PillCam® colon capsule in the detection of colonic pathology: results of the first multi-center, prospective, comparative study. Endoscopy 2006; 38: 963-970
  • 2 Schoofs N, Devière J, Van Gossum A. Pillcam® colon capsule endoscopy compared with colonoscopy for colorectal diagnosis: a prospective pilot study. Endoscopy 2006; 38: 971-977
  • 3 Van Gossum A, Munoz-Navas M, Fernandez-Urien I et al. Capsule endoscopy versus colonoscopy for the detection of polyps and cancer. N Engl J Med 2009; 361: 264-270
  • 4 Eliakim R, Yassin K, Niv Y et al. Prospective multicenter performance evaluation of the second-generation colon capsule compared with colonoscopy. Endoscopy 2009; 41: 1026-1031
  • 5 Spada C, Hassan C, Marmo R et al. Meta-analysis shows colon capsule endoscopy is effective in detecting colorectal polyps. Clin Gastro Hepatol 2010; 8: 516-522
  • 6 Levin B, Lieberman DA, McFarland B et al. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps 2008: a joint guideline from the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. Gastroenterology 2008; 134: 1570-1595
  • 7 Lieberman DA. Clinical practice. Screening for colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med 2009; 361: 1179-1187
  • 8 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Oral sodium phosphate (OSP) products for bowel cleansing (marketed as Visicol and OsmoPrep, and oral sodium phosphate products available without a prescription). FDA alert [12/11/2008]. Available at URL: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm103354.htm Last accessed: 5 December 2011
  • 9 Leighton JA, Rex DK. A grading scale to evaluate colon cleansing for the PillCam COLON capsule: a reliability study. Endoscopy 2011; 43: 123-127
  • 10 Ell C, Fischbach W, Bronisch HJ et al. Randomized trial of low-volume PEG solution versus standard PEG + electrolytes for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy. Am J Gastroenterol 2008; 103: 883-893
  • 11 Spada C, Hassan C, Munos-Navas M et al. Second-generation colon capsule endoscopy compared with colonoscopy. Gastrointest Endosc 2011; 74: 581-589
  • 12 Rokkas T, Papaxoinis K, Triantafyllou K et al. A meta-analysis evaluating the accuracy of colon capsule endopscopy in detecting colon polyps. Gastrointest Endosc 2010; 71: 792-798